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How to Get the Most from Your Telehealth Visit with Your Doctor

If you haven’t heard the news, Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin is now offering telehealth visits to our patients. Now, you can conduct a face-to-face appointment with your cardiologist using your phone or computer without leaving your home.

Telehealth visits are one of the many ways doctors and patients are adapting to the coronavirus pandemic, and this is a new technology for many doctors and patients alike. To help get you prepared for your first telehealth visit, we’ve written down some tips that will help you get ready and maximize the quality of your visit.

5 Tips for the Best Possible Telehealth Visit with Your Doctor

  • Make sure you have a smartphone or tablet with a front-facing camera and internet connectivity, or PC/laptop with a camera and microphone. Phones and tablets without internet connectivity or front-facing cameras will be unable to conduct a telehealth visit.
    • If you’re using a computer, please use Chrome, Safari, or Firefox internet browsers to conduct the visit. Internet Explorer will not work.
    • You will need to allow camera and microphone access on your mobile device. Watch this helpful tutorial from Backline if you need assistance.
  • Before your visit, make sure your phone or laptop battery is adequately charged, or that the device is plugged in and charging.
  • If possible, find a private, well-lit place to conduct your visit with limited background noise or interruptions. You want to make it easy for your doctor to see and hear you. You can also use headphones to make it easier to hear and keep your conversation private.
  • Be patient as the software connects and be aware that the call might drop. If that happens, be ready for a call back to continue the session. Internet connection can cut in and out, and there’s also a learning curve to the telehealth software. If the connection is lagging, the internet bandwidth might be overloaded, and you may have to reset the call. Just know that when these connection issues occur, your doctor is working to get back in touch with you as soon as possible.
  • If you have any questions for your doctor beforehand, write down some notes or worrisome symptoms you’re having so you don’t forget to ask about them. Likewise, don’t forget to ask your doctor about any follow-up plans or recommendations at the end of your visit.

While we’re still learning how to make our telehealth visits as smooth as possible, we’ve already conducted hundreds of telehealth appointments here at the Heart and Vascular Institute of Wisconsin. We’re happy to offer a safe alternative that allows our patients to stay home, and we’ll be continuing to look for ways to make our telehealth visits better.

Want to change your next appointment to a telehealth visit with your cardiologist? Call us at (920)886-9380 or click the image below to schedule an appointment.

 

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